This application claims the priority of Japanese Application No. 2002-109370 filed on Apr. 11, 2002.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a side mirror cover for covering a side mirror body provided projectingly from the side of the vehicle, and a cover lamp to be used for this cover.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, a vehicle is provided with sideways projecting side mirrors on both sides of the vehicle body as well as a room mirror provided in the interior of the car for a driver to look behind for traffic. These mirrors ensure that the driver has a clear view to the rear of the vehicle without turning his/her head toward the rear. Although the room mirror and the side mirror are standardized according to the type of vehicle, the side mirror being partly responsible for the appearance of vehicle are figured to satisfy the sense of beauty. The side mirrors for passenger vehicles are mainly mounted on the doors, and figured to satisfy the sense of beauty considering the total appearance of vehicle. Further, there is a need for ornate side mirrors depending on the taste of consumers because of recent diversification of the taste of the consumers.
At the front end of the vehicle, there are provided front position lights for allowing oncoming cars and the third parties walking on the street to recognize the width of the vehicle at night as well as direction indicator lamps for indicating the turning directions of the vehicle and headlamps as an illuminating device for nigh drive. The oncoming cars and the third parties walking on the street can recognize the width of the vehicle from the front position lights and the turning direction of the vehicle from flickering of the direction indicator lamp. The oncoming cars and the third parties walking on the street ensure the safety by driving or walking while avoiding contact with the vehicle.
On the other hand, since the front position lights in the related art are provided at the front end of the vehicle, there is a problem in that the width of the vehicle body at the front end of the vehicle can be recognized, but the width of the entire vehicle including the side mirrors cannot be recognized. In other words, since the sideways projecting side mirrors are provided on the vehicle body, the width of the entire vehicle including the side mirrors is larger than the width indicated by the front position lights. Therefore, the oncoming cars or the third parties walking on the street are required to estimate the width of the entire vehicle by adding the estimated amount of projection of the side mirrors to the width indicated by the front position lights. However, since the amount of projection differs depending on the type of vehicle, it is relatively difficult to estimate. Especially, such estimation is difficult in the case of vehicles having side mirrors that project sideways significantly from the vehicle body such as heavy-duty trucks.
In order to solve these problems, a side mirror cover including a mirror cover body adapted to be capable of being mounted on the front surface of the side mirror body of the vehicle and a cover lamp mounted on the mirror cover body so as to be visible from the front of the vehicle is proposed (Japanese Patent No. 3030021). Since such side mirror covers are adapted to be attached independently on the front surface of the side mirror body, and thus the covers can be formed into complex configurations, or colored or plated in themselves, high value-added side mirror covers are obtained at a lower cost than the case of forming or processing the entire side mirror into such configurations. Furthermore, when the cover lamps mounted on the mirror cover bodies are illuminated, the positions of the side mirrors are visible from the front, and thus the width of the entire vehicle including the side mirrors can be recognized.
However, considering a case in which the cover lamp mounted on the mirror cover body is used as a direction indicator lamp, it is preferable that flickering of the cover lamp is recognized not only by the oncoming cars, but also the third parties walking by the side of the vehicle. In this case, it is conceivable to provide a separate side lamp at the laterally outer end portion of the mirror cover body (U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,169). However, there are such disadvantages that the appearance is deteriorated because the number of lamps to be mounted increases, and that the unit cost is increased due to increase in manufacturing cost and in number of components.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a relatively less expensive side mirror cover in which flickering or illumination of a cover lamp is visible also from the side of the vehicle, and a lamp to be used therefor.
It is another object of the invention to provide a side mirror cover in which flickering or illumination of a cover lamp is effectively visible from a wide range including the backside of the vehicle, and a lamp to be used therefor.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a side mirror cover that can be mounted on the mirror cover body in a relatively simple process, and a lamp to be used therefor.
As shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, the first aspect of the invention is an improved side mirror cover comprising a mirror cover body 22 for covering the front surface of a side mirror body 16 of a vehicle 10, curved out toward the front of the vehicle 10, and formed with a thorough hole 22b having the outer end at the position corresponding to the widthwise extremity of the vehicle 10, and a cover lamp 23 fitted from the backside of the mirror cover body 22 into the through hole 22b. 
The characteristic construction of the side mirror cover is that the cover lamp 23 includes a lamp housing 24 mounted on the mirror cover body 22 along the peripheral edge of the through hole 22b formed on the mirror cover body 22 so as to close up the through hole 22b and provided with a plurality of light emitting elements 27, and a translucent lamp cover 26 mounted on either one or both of the lamp housing 24 and the mirror cover body 22 so as to cover the plurality of light emitting elements 27, in that the lamp housing 24 includes a curved first corner section 24a for closing up mainly the portion of the through hole 22b corresponding to the widthwise extremity of the vehicle 10 and a first principal portion 24b continuing from the first corner section 24a for closing up the remainder of the through hole 22b, in that the lamp cover 26 includes a second corner section 26a opposing to the first corner section 24a and a second principal position 26b continuing from the second corner section 26a and opposing to the first principal portion 24b, and in that the plurality of light emitting elements 27 include one or more first LED or LEDs 27a provided on the first principal portion 24b for emitting light toward the front of the vehicle 10, and one or more second LED or LEDs 27b for emitting light toward the side of the vehicle 10.
The second aspect of the invention is an improved cover lamp 23 to be fitted from the backside of the mirror cover body 22 into a through hole 22b of the mirror cover body 22 for covering the front surface of a side mirror body 16 on the vehicle 10, curved out toward the front of the vehicle 10, and formed with the thorough hole 22b having the outer end at the position corresponding to the widthwise extremity of the vehicle 10 from the backside of the mirror cover body 22.
The characteristic construction of the cover lamp 23 is that the cover lamp comprises a lamp housing 24 mounted on the mirror cover body 22 along the peripheral edge of the through hole 22b so as to close up the through hole 22b and provided with a plurality of light emitting elements 27 and a translucent lamp cover 26 adhered on the lamp housing 24 so as to cover the plurality of light emitting elements 27, in that the lamp housing 24 includes a curved first corner section 24a for closing up mainly the portion of the through hole 22b corresponding to the widthwise extremity of the vehicle 10 and a first principal portion 24b continuing from the first corner section 24a for closing up the remainder of the through hole 22b, in that the lamp cover 26 includes a second corner section 26a opposing to the first corner section 24a and a second principal position 26b continuing from the second corner section 26a and opposing to the first principal portion 24b, and in that the plurality of light emitting elements 27 include one or more first LED or LEDs 27a provided on the first principal portion 24b for emitting light toward the front of the vehicle 10 and one or more second LED or LEDs 27b for emitting light toward the side of the vehicle 10.
With the side mirror cover according to the first aspect of the invention and the cover lamp according to the second aspect of the invention, light emitted from the one or more first LED or LEDs 27a for emitting light toward the front of the vehicle 10 is directed toward the front of the vehicle through the second principal portion 26b of the lamp cover 26, and light emitted from the one or more second LED or LEDs 27b for emitting light toward the side of the vehicle 10 is directed toward the front and the side of the vehicle 10 through the second corner section 26a of the lamp cover 26. Consequently, light is visible from the side of the vehicle.
In a preferred arrangement of the side mirror cover according to the invention, the second LED 27b is provided on the first principal portion 24b on the far side from the vehicle 10, a projected portion 26c is formed on the inner surface of the lamp cover 26 so as to face toward the second LED 27b, and the second corner section 26a is formed with concavities and convexities on the inner surface thereof as shown in FIG. 1, so that light from the first LED 27a passes through the second principal portion 26b and is emitted toward the front of the vehicle 10, and light from the second LED 27b passes through the projected portion 26c and the second corner section 26a toward the outer end widthwise of the vehicle 10, reflects on the concavities and convexities on the inner surface of the second corner section 26a, and is emitted from the second corner section 26a toward the front and the side of the vehicle 10 and simultaneously from the outer end of the second corner section 26a toward the backside of the vehicle 10.
In the preferred arrangement of the cover lamp 23 according to the invention, the second LED 27b is provided on the first principal portion 24b on the side of the second corner section 26a, the projected portion 26c is formed on the inner surface of the lamp cover 26 so as to face toward the second LED 27b, and the second corner section 26a is formed with the concavities and convexities on the inner surface, so that light from the first LED 27a passes through the second principal portion 26b and is emitted toward the front of the vehicle 10, and light from the second LED 27b passes from the projected portion 26c through the second corner section 26a toward the outer end widthwise of the vehicle 10, reflects on the concavities and convexities on the inner surface of the second corner section 26a, and is emitted from the second corner section 26a toward the front and the side of the vehicle 10 and simultaneously from the outer end of the second corner section 26a toward the backside of the vehicle 10.
In the preferred arrangement of the side mirror cover according to the invention as shown in FIG. 6, the second LED 27b is provided on the first principal portion 24b on the side closer to the vehicle 10, the projected portion 26c is formed on the inner surface of the lamp cover 26 so as to face toward the second LED 27b, and the second corner section 26a is formed with the concavities and convexities on the inner surface, so that light from the first LED 27a passes through the second principal portion 26b and is emitted toward the front of the vehicle 10, and light from the second LED 27b passed from the projected portion 26c through the second principal portion 26b and the second corner section 26a toward the outer end widthwise of the vehicle body 10, reflects on the concavities and convexities on the inner surface of the second corner section 26a, and is emitted from the second corner section 26a to the front and the side of the vehicle 10 and simultaneously from the outer end of the second corner section 26a toward the backside of the vehicle 10.
In the preferred arrangement of the cover lamp according to the invention, the second LED 27b is provided on the first principal portion 24b on the side opposite from the second corner section 26a, the projected portion 26c is formed on the inner surface of the lamp cover 26 so as to face toward the second LED 27b, and the second corner section 26a is formed with the concavities and convexities on the inner surface, so that light from the first LED 27a passed through the second principal portion 26b and is emitted toward the front of the vehicle 10, and light from the second LED 27b passes from the projected portion 26c through the second principal portion 26b and the second corner section 26a toward the outer end widthwise of the vehicle 10, reflects on the concavities and convexities on the inner surface of the second corner section 26a, and is emitted from the second corner section 26a toward the front and the side of the vehicle 10 and simultaneously from the outer end of the second corner section 26a toward the backside of the vehicle 10.
In these arrangements, since light emitted from the second LED 27b is directed not only toward the front and the side of the vehicle but also through the outer end of the second corner section 26a toward the backside of the vehicle, light is visible also from the backside of the vehicle.
In the preferred arrangement of the side mirror cover according to the invention, the plurality of light emitting elements 27 are mounted on a support 28 and accommodated in the lamp housing 24, and a first light reflector 29 is provided on the support 28 on the surface facing toward the lamp cover 26.
In the preferred arrangement of the cover lamp according to the invention, the plurality of light emitting elements 27 are mounted on the support 28 and accommodated in the lamp housing 24, and the first light reflector 29 is provided on the surface of the support 28 facing toward the lamp cover 26.
In the preferred arrangement of the side mirror cover according to the invention, a curved second light reflector 31 is provided on the first corner section 24a of the lamp housing 24.
In the preferred arrangement of the cover lamp according to the invention, the curved second light reflector 31 is mounted on the first corner section 24a of the lamp housing 24.
In these arrangements, light emitted from the light emitting element 27 reflects toward the front of the vehicle or toward the front and the side of the vehicle owing to the presence of the light reflectors 29, 31, so that the light can be effectively recognized by the oncoming cars approaching from the front toward the vehicle or by the third parties on the side of the vehicle.
In the preferred arrangement of the side mirror cover according to the invention, the cover lamp 23 is fabricated by adhering the peripheral edge of the lamp cover 26 to the peripheral edge of the lamp housing 24, is formed with a recessed groove 23a defined by the outer end portion of the first corner section 24a and the outer end portion of the second corner section 26a in the adhered state, which is capable of being fitted on the peripheral edge of the through hole 22b on the far side from the vehicle 10, and formed with a flange 24c having a mounting hole 24d at the inner end of the first principal portion 24b, the mirror cover body 22 is formed with a boss 22c at the peripheral edge of the through hole 22b on the side closer to the vehicle 10, and the cover lamp 23 is mounted on the mirror cover body 22 by fitting the recessed groove 23a onto the peripheral edge of the through hole 22b on the far side from the vehicle 10, passing a screw 32 through the mounting hole 24d and screwing it into the boss 22c. 
In the preferred arrangement of the cover lamp according to the invention, the recessed groove 23a which is capable of being fitted on the peripheral edge of the through hole 22b on the far side from the vehicle 10 is defined by the outer end portion of the first corner section 24a and the outer end portion of the second corner section 26a in a state in which the peripheral edge of the lamp housing 24 and the peripheral edge of the lamp cover 26 are adhered, and the flange 24c having the mounting hole 24d is formed at the inner end portion of the first principal portion 24b. 
In these arrangements, the cover lamp 23 can be mounted on the mirror cover body 22 by such a relatively simple process of fitting the recessed groove 23a on the peripheral edge of the through hole 22b on the far side from the vehicle 10, and in this state, screwing the screw 32 passed through the mounting hole 24d into the boss 22c.